Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 24 May 2016

Eric Fanning became the first openly gay secretary of the Army. Five years ago openly gay people weren't even allowed to serve in the US armed forces. The World Humanitarian Summit closed today in Istanbul, but discussions on helping the world's most vulnerable should not end. Governments must ensure that people with disabilities are afforded protection, especially in conflict zones, where they face an increased risk of harm. Governments should put an end to military use of schools so that children do not miss out on valuable educational opportunities and can attend school safely. The British government today responded to recent reports that United Kingdom-made cluster bombs are among those being used by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen. The government pledged to investigate the reports, but added that there is no evidence of the Saudi-led coalition using cluster bombs in Yemen. Really? The Philippines' outgoing president approved a law last week that makes children’s needs a priority during disaster relief. The law is a good first step toward ensuring that the most vulnerable get necessary resources when they need them. But if protecting children is the priority, then much more can be done. From earlier today: Indian authorities should "stop treating critics as criminals," Human Rights Watch said in a new report today, which details how vague, overly broad laws are increasingly being used to silence dissent in the country.